Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10 64 bit. How is it?

[RoastedTiresX]

I've been a faithful Ubuntu user for quite a few years now. I installed XBMC and I was hit with a bunch of stability issues. I was playing a video through it and the video froze, and my audio ended up repeating a nanosecond worth of music from the video. Even after killing the process, the annoying audio didn't stop. I had to reboot. This happened 3-4 times in the twenty minutes I used XBMC.

I posted on UbuntuForums.org and an admin told me I might have an old version if I'm running the PPA version (or something to that effect). I haven't installed the newer one, which he linked me to, but I figured I'd ask here to see how 64 bit support is for it.

Anybody running Ubuntu Intrepid 64 bit?
How's it run for ya?
How's the stability and whatnot?

Thanks for any answers.

[topfs2]

All devs run Ubuntu x86, and that is the one that is absolutely most stable.

I suggest you run x86 if you plan on creating a HTPC, the benefits from x64 is minuscule at best for a HTPC in any case.

Mainly samba is borked in x64 but the rest should be somewhat ok.

[RoastedTiresX]

Well, unfortunately, 32 bit is becoming a thing of the past... including in my rigs. I often mess with virtual machines, so having a limitation of 3gb of RAM is just... no. Hahaha.

Is 64 bit support in the works? Or is it something that's not even really being looked at yet?

And what about Samba is borked? I run a Samba backup with my computer for the other computers in the household. Will it effect that? Or is the Samba issues with XBMC having to do with mapping your pictures folder out on the network?

I'll install it any way and see how it runs. It looks so sleek I'd love to have that on my system.

Is 64 bit Vista in the same boat?

[topfs2]

we aren't making a VM application, we are making a HTPC and we don't need or even remotly use > 4gb ram. But if you want 64bit support you can supply patches. Its not something we care about currently, x86 is way better supported by libs we use and stability is much more appricieted than use 64bit because you need to satisfy your e-penis with lots of ram.

[RoastedTiresX]

Already I sense a high level of maturity here on the forums.

It has nothing to do with my e-penis to have RAM. I'm in technical support so I need to understand certain operating systems. As a result, I run 1 computer with sufficient RAM to run certain operating systems in a stable manner at the same time. So please, save your smart comments. I don't run around with high amounts of RAM and run my mouth. It's just upsetting because all too often I see application makers who simply pretend that 64 bit is not the future of programming. It is. It's here. It's the same reason that in Vista 64 bit that I also run that half of my hardware doesn't work.

So anyway, if anybody can add some constructive responses here for me, I'd appreciate it. I really dig the XBMC setup and I'd love to run it on my main computer, which is (I think I said it before) Ubuntu Intrepid 64 bit.

Again - I'd really appreciate constructive responses. Thanks!

[tslayer]

Maybe you can try a 32bit chroot on your ubuntu 64bit?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24575

[RoastedTiresX]

Maybe you can try a 32bit chroot on your ubuntu 64bit?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24575

Hmm... I wasn't aware of something like this. I'll check it out. Thanks boss!

[topfs2]

Already I sense a high level of maturity here on the forums.

It has nothing to do with my e-penis to have RAM. I'm in technical support so I need to understand certain operating systems. As a result, I run 1 computer with sufficient RAM to run certain operating systems in a stable manner at the same time. So please, save your smart comments. I don't run around with high amounts of RAM and run my mouth. It's just upsetting because all too often I see application makers who simply pretend that 64 bit is not the future of programming. It is. It's here. It's the same reason that in Vista 64 bit that I also run that half of my hardware doesn't work.

So anyway, if anybody can add some constructive responses here for me, I'd appreciate it. I really dig the XBMC setup and I'd love to run it on my main computer, which is (I think I said it before) Ubuntu Intrepid 64 bit.

Again - I'd really appreciate constructive responses. Thanks!

Im not complaining at your desktop computer or your workplacestation computer, both of them would probably love and use lots of ram.
But the usual thing in a HTPC is to have a seperate computer which doesn´t need that extra ram as you would only use XBMC on it.

In anycase, I´ve tried x64 and it works, smb on linux in 64 is failing because we haven´t recompiled a proper libsmbclient for it and the system lib is missing a function we need, which we have filed a bug report about so all in all we are working on it.

In anycase, I can excuse myself about my smartass comment but Im tired and I though this was once again a thread about wanting to run x64 on their HTPC becuase the put > 4gb ram on it, just because they have money to do so. But seeing your testing it on your workplace computer I understand were your comming from, in anycase. We are working on it, just halfassed as we noone is using it actively.

Cheers,
Tobias

[RoastedTiresX]

Im not complaining at your desktop computer or your workplacestation computer, both of them would probably love and use lots of ram.
But the usual thing in a HTPC is to have a seperate computer which doesn´t need that extra ram as you would only use XBMC on it.

In anycase, I´ve tried x64 and it works, smb on linux in 64 is failing because we haven´t recompiled a proper libsmbclient for it and the system lib is missing a function we need, which we have filed a bug report about so all in all we are working on it.

In anycase, I can excuse myself about my smartass comment but Im tired and I though this was once again a thread about wanting to run x64 on their HTPC becuase the put > 4gb ram on it, just because they have money to do so. But seeing your testing it on your workplace computer I understand were your comming from, in anycase. We are working on it, just halfassed as we noone is using it actively.

Cheers,
Tobias

Naw, I completely understand. I'm sure your first impression was that I was just some kid who had the money to pump my computer full of RAM and did so cause "I can", but the trick is I put what little money I had into 1 decent computer since I didn't have the money for 3-4 stand-alone computers to test OS's on. That's why I'm running the kind of computer I am... I wanted it to be suitable for everyday use but, it also needs to help out with learning different things for work. And as a music-obsessor as well as picture taking fanatic, having a couple hundred gig of music/pictures, it'd be hella nice to see XBMC run on my rig. :)

I just get peeved for the same (but opposite) reason you do. For me, it's a bummer to see things not supported on 64 bit. For you, it's a nag to hear people complain about it when 32 bit works fine for your situation. That's where we differ, I suppose. ;)

Nonetheless, I'll do what I can to run the latest XBMC on my rig and see if I can get it working.

Now, question. It seems like the PPA build is the easy way to install XBMC, however, I did that and it was brought to my attention I may have the old build. Is that true? It just seems so much easier to add the repo and update as opposed to make clean, svn up, etc etc... Is there an "updated" PPA build for Ubuntu? Or am I completely misinformed and way off target?

[mr_raider]

It runs fine on 8.10 x64 in my experience, so the OP is free to use it.

The crashing issues are mostly related to pulseaudio, which is a problem from 8.04 onwards. There are also CPU performance issues on 8.10 which were not there in 8.04.

In summary, I would recommend 8.04 32 bit if it supports your hardware. You will have to disable pulseaudio, or build from source with the latest SVN. Or you can use xu/ku/mythbuntu which don't have pulseaudio.

[RoastedTiresX]

Ehh, suddenly I'm not so sure about it. Like I said before, I need my current computer set up the way it is for the things I have to do for work and whatnot. It'd be so nice to run this, but, I gotta do what I gotta do.

I was watching my CPU usage when I was running XBMC before. I have a quad core, and I would notice one of my cores would often spike. But it only seemed to be one core for a second or so, and certainly didn't slow down the rest of my computer so it wasn't a big deal to me.

I'm not surprised to hear that XBMC has issues with Pulse. To this day I don't understand why Pulse is even here. But that's another argument in itself, I'm sure.

Now, understand something here... I'm pretty new to this, although I have interest in using it more. When you guys speak of getting the latest SVN, what exactly do you mean?

mr raider - How did you install it on Intrepid 64? I'd like to do exactly what you did considering you had decent success with it.

[BLKMGK]

This might help -> http://xbmc.org/wiki/?title=HOW-TO_compile_XBMC_for_Linux_from_source_code

[mr_raider]

mr raider - How did you install it on Intrepid 64? I'd like to do exactly what you did considering you had decent success with it.

It's running on an x2 4200 with x1900xt GPU. My issues have been with the ATI driver, but after disabling compiz and running full screen it seems better.

My suggestion is install the default version from the ppa packages and see what happens. If you get audio freezes and crashes, check out the pulse audio sticky above. If that doesn't solve it, build with the latest compile script as indicated above.

[RoastedTiresX]

I just wanted to add to this thread by saying, I just did a fresh install of XBMC from the SVN after hearing some people had decent success with XBMC on 64 bit machines.

I got the same results. I opened a video in it, hit a few controls on the control panel (fast forward, pause, play, etc)... the video froze and the audio got locked into a repeating "broken record" style. 64 bit is no hope.

I hope we can see a build for it sometime in the future. Until then, I'll do without anything like XBMC. But the second we get a build for it, I'll be all over that!

Cheers.
-J

[hikaricore]

I fail to see much of an advantage at this point in time to running 64bit Linux anyway.
For all that most people do: play games, use the internet, and watch media.

Honestly it's a waste of your own time and effort.
Unless I'm the only one left with less than 4Gb of ram which I highly doubt.

[RoastedTiresX]

I fail to see much of an advantage at this point in time to running 64bit Linux anyway.
For all that most people do: play games, use the internet, and watch media.

Honestly it's a waste of your own time and effort.
Unless I'm the only one left with less than 4Gb of ram which I highly doubt.

You might not, but others do.

I run 4gb currently and have another 4gb on the way. As I believe I said before, I run virtual OS's for work purposes so I need some memory to handle that.

If I were setting up a computer specifically for a home theater setup, I wouldn't use 64 bit. I understand the developer's take on why they focus with 32 bit.

But, for someone like me who puts all of my pennies and dimes into 1 beastly computer (instead of several other computers of sub-par quality to do the same job) to do what I need to do, it would be nice to use this same computer as a home theater since it houses all of my media files anyway.

Not to take a stab here, but the unavoidable truth is 64 bit is the future, like it or not, regardless of whether or not you have a reason to use 64 bit now. It'd be nice to see some more focus in this area, and I'm not speaking from XBMC's point of view. I just deal with 64 bit frustration every day with the infrastructure we have at work and the lack of support from developers.

I mean, after all... Microsoft threatened to stop 32 bit production of Windows XP years ago before Vista was released because even Microsoft noticed developers were being absent minded to the future of 64 bit systems.

But anyway, I'm done rambling about this. Long story short, I'm done here. If 64 bit support comes, I'm sure I'd be a regular member and would love to help out here on the forums. But until then, I'm out. :D

Cheers.
-J

[mr_raider]

I just wanted to add to this thread by saying, I just did a fresh install of XBMC from the SVN after hearing some people had decent success with XBMC on 64 bit machines.

I got the same results. I opened a video in it, hit a few controls on the control panel (fast forward, pause, play, etc)... the video froze and the audio got locked into a repeating "broken record" style. 64 bit is no hope.

have you tried killing pulseaudio?

And FWIW I agree with you about 64-bit being the future platform. 32-bit needs to die, yesterday.